In the game of golf, the accuracy of a golf shot is determined by the speed, the direction of travel, and the spin of the golf ball. Of course, there are other factors, such as weather conditions that also affect the accuracy of a golf shot, but factors such as these are beyond the control of a golfer. The speed, direction of travel, and spin of the golf ball are determined mainly by the speed and the direction of the swing of the golf club head, and by the orientation of the face of the golf club head, as the golf club head impacts the ball. These three factors are quite controllable by a golfer; however, the very nature of bodily interaction by a person with an inanimate object, where the object is being physically controlled by that person, dictates that there will be imprecision in the manipulation of that object. In golf, this fact is illustrated by the difficulty that even professional golfers experience in hitting a golf ball precisely to a desired location.
When using woods and irons, the speed and direction of the club head is important; but, especially when driving the ball, significant variation in the speed and direction of the ball is virtually unavoidable, and is therefore expected. Indeed, drives made by an individual golfer may vary in distance by several tens of yards and may vary from left to right by many yards, with all such shots being considered relatively good. Even approach shots, which are not quite as long as drives, may vary by several yards in distance, and from left to right.
In putting, control of the speed and direction of the ball is particulary important. The ball must be putted accurately, as there is very little room for error. Indeed, the ball must end up in one location only, with that location being a hole that is only about two to three times the diameter of the golf ball. The final shot that sinks the ball into the hole must be extremely accurate, both in terms of speed and direction of the shot when it leaves the face of the golf putter. Variation in the speed and direction of putts by only a small amount may significantly increase the chance of adding to the number of strokes taken to sink a golf ball. Missing a putt by an inch or two can result in an increase in score by one or more strokes on a hole. Multiplied over eighteen holes, such additional strokes can cause an extremely significant inflation of a golfer's score, from a very respectable score, even a sub-par score, to a score of perhaps over one hundred. This situation is possibly best expressed in the old adage "drive for show . . . putt for dough".
Putting involves relatively short distances, as opposed to the longer distances of drives and approach shots, and the variance of perhaps a foot--or even a few inches--in the distance or accuracy of a putt may be extremely significant. Indeed, the mechanics of a putting stroke are significantly different than any other golf stroke, due to the importance of the accuracy that is required for a good putt as opposed to the need for long distance. Most putters have a hand grip disposed at the top end of the shaft thereof. This grip is gripped by both hands of the golfer, with both hands each being wrapped around the grip and placed in a contiguous manner one to the other along the grip, with the thumb of the upper hand interposed into the palm and finger area of the other hand in order to provide lateral stability of the two hands with respect to each other. In this manner, the two hands work together to provide a stable grip on the putter. This type of grip is generally accepted as being the proper and, indeed, the best grip to use while putting.
This particular style of gripping a putter works well, to a degree, because both hands are used synergistically to form a co-operating stable grip that generally precludes each separate hand from readily moving with respect to the other. Each hand therefore cannot readily impart stray acceleration and twisting forces to the putter during a swing of the putter.
However, there is one problem that is inevitably associated with this type of golf club grip. Due to the fact that the golfer's hands are so close to one another on the grip, a small amount of improper movement or twisting of either of the golfer's hands with respect to the other can cause a severe change in the angle or speed of the putter shaft and a severe change in the orientation of the face of the putter. In putting, such minor changes can cause a shot to be propelled to a substantially different location than the aimed for and intended location, thus causing the shot to be essentially missed.
Further, there is another problem associated with the use of the above described manner of gripping a golf putter. It is necessary when gripping a putter in this manner, to adopt a stance wherein the golfer's feet are relatively close to the ball. Such a stance necessitates that the golfer's arms are held with the elbows pointing outwardly in opposed directions, which is unnatural, and further that the swing be made from the shoulders with no body movement, which again is unnatural, difficult, and prone to error. Further, while using this stance, the golfer's eyes are generally directly vertically over the golf ball, so as to line up the golfer's eyes, the ball, and the hole in a single vertically disposed plane. It can be argued that this is undesirable as the visual clues as to the distance of the hole from the golf ball, and also as to the direction the golf ball must be directed, should be three-dimensional clues. The science of perceptual psychology teaches that several visual clues are used to form a three-dimensional picture of the relative spacing, speed, and so on, of two objects in order to determine the actual spatial relationship of these two objects. It is much more difficult to form this three dimensional picture when a person is directly aligned with two objects. It is more easily done when a person is offset from direct alignment with these objects, as more clues as to the three-dimensional spatial relationship of these two objects are available. Such spatial perception of two objects is often referred to as "triangulation".
In other sports, such as hockey, "triangulation" is used to allow a pass to made quite accurately, both in terms of speed and direction, with relative ease, even if done quickly. It is generally quite easy for a hockey player, even a young hockey player, to make quite accurate passes.
Another problem associated with the use of the above described manner of gripping a golf putter is that it is very difficult, if not impossible, to directly view both the golf ball and the hole in the green at the same time. Thus, a golfer's visual perception of where the hole is and the topography of the area around the hole must be cognatively matched to that golfer's visual perception of where the golf ball is on the topography of the area around the golf ball. Since an "entire picture" including the golf ball and the hole in the green cannot be seen at once, it is difficult to properly aim a putt.
It is only by the elimination of the three of these above discussed problems that accurate and consistent putting can be achieved. In an effort to improve the putting accuracy and consistency of golfers, whose skill levels might range from novice to professional, many variations of putters have been created; however, all of these prior putters are designed for use in such a way that encourages these problems, so as to cause inherent inaccuracies in putting.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a golf putter that readily permits making accurate and consistent putts, in terms of speed and distance.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a golf putter that permits the use of a golfer's hands in a separated manner.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a golf putter that permits a golfer to view the golf ball and the hole in the green concurrently.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a golf putter that permits visualization and aiming of a putt by way of triangulation of the golf ball and hole in the green.